Problems of miscommunication between air controllers and pilots have resulted in serious accidents and substantial loss of life and monetary loss. The present invention seeks to overcome existing problems of miscommunication.
The following U.S. Patents are believed to represent the state of the art, but are not believed to provide a suitable solution to problems of miscommunication between air controllers and pilots: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,703,591; 5,684,498; 5,227,786; 5,025,382; 4,675,676; 4,437,085; 4,086,632 and 3,369,239.
The present invention seeks to provide a solution to problems of miscommunication between air controllers and pilots.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a system for providing unambiguous communication between an aircraft pilot and at least one other communicator, the system including a communication link enabling communication between the at least one pilot and the at least one other communicator, and a visually sensible display providing a visually sensible output indication to at least one of other communicator and the pilot of information communicated along the communication link.
There is also provided in accordance with accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention a system for providing unambiguous communication between an aircraft pilot and at least one other communicator along a communication link, the system including an interface with the communication link, and a visually sensible display receiving information transmitted between the aircraft pilot and the at least one other communicator along the communication link via the interface and providing a visually sensible output indication to at least one of other communicator and the pilot of information communicated along the communication link.
There is also provided in accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention a system for providing unambiguous communication between an aircraft pilot and at least one other communicator along a communication link in an environment including a display the system including an interface with the communication link, and circuitry operating a visually sensible display receiving information transmitted between the aircraft pilot and the at least one other communicator along the communication link via the interface and providing a visually sensible output indication to at least one of other communicator and the pilot of information communicated along the communication link.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the display is located within a field of view of a pilot and is operative to display information communicated from an aircraft controller to the pilot.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the display is located within a field of view of a pilot and is operative to display information communicated from another pilot to the pilot.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the display is located within a field of view of an aircraft controller and is operative to display information communicated from a pilot to the aircraft controller.
Preferably the system also includes a microphone for receiving a voice input to be transmitted over the communication link. Additionally or alternatively the system also includes a speech recognizer for deriving information from the voice input received by the microphone.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention also including a speech output device associated with said display for providing a speech output generally simultaneously with the visually sensible output indication to at least one of the other communicator and the pilot of information communicated along the communication link.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention also including a speech synthesizer associated with the display for providing a synthesized speech output generally simultaneously with the visually sensible output indication to at least one of the other communicator and the pilot of information communicated along the communication link.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention also including a speech synthesizer associated with the display for providing a synthesized voice output generally simultaneously with the visually sensible output indication to at least one of the other communicator and the pilot of information communicated along the communication link, the speech synthesizer receiving an input in data form from the communication link.
Preferably the speech synthesizer associated with the display for providing a synthesized voice output generally simultaneously with the visually sensible output indication to at least one of the aircraft controller and the pilot of information communicated along the communication link, the speech synthesizer receiving a digital information output from the speech recognizer.
The communication link carries speech. Additionally or alternatively the communication link carries information derived from speech.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention also including a memory for storing at least part of the information communicated along said communication link.
Preferably the system also includes interface apparatus linking the system to external aviation-related systems for at least one of monitoring and control of the operation thereof
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the communication link comprises a multiple channel link and the display is capable of displaying information received simultaneously along multiple channels.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention also including a post flight analyzer utilizing at least part of the information communicated along the communication link.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention also including a post event analyzer utilizing at least part of the information communicated along the communication link.
There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for providing unambiguous communication between an aircraft pilot and at least one other communicator, the method including enabling communication between the at least one pilot and the at least one other communicator along a communication link, and providing a visually sensible output indication on a display to at least one of other communicator and the pilot of information communicated along the communication link.
There is also provided in accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for providing unambiguous communication between an aircraft pilot and at least one other communicator along a communication link, the method including interfacing with the communication link, and providing a visually sensible display of information transmitted between the aircraft pilot and the at least one other communicator along the communication link to at least one of other communicator and the pilot of information communicated along the communication link.
There is provided in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for providing unambiguous communication between an aircraft pilot and at least one other communicator along a communication link in an environment including a display the system including interfacing the communication link, and operating a visually sensible display receiving information transmitted between the aircraft pilot and the at least one other communicator along said communication link via the interface and providing a visually sensible output indication to at least one of other communicator and the pilot of information communicated along the communication link.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the display is located within a field of view of a pilot and is operative to display information communicated from an aircraft controller to the pilot.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the display is located within a field of view of an aircraft controller and is operative to display information communicated from a pilot to the aircraft controller.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the display is located within a field of view of a pilot and is operative to display information communicated from another pilot to the pilot.
Moreover in accordance with accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention also including receiving a voice input to be transmitted over the communication link. Preferably also including deriving information from the voice input.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention also including providing a speech output generally simultaneously with the visually sensible output indication to at least one of the other communicator and the pilot of information communicated along the communication link.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention also including providing a synthesized speech output generally simultaneously with the visually sensible output indication to at least one of the other communicator and the pilot of information communicated along the communication link.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention also including providing a synthesized voice output generally simultaneously with the visually sensible output indication to at least one of the other communicator and the pilot of information communicated along the communication link, in response to a received input in data form from the communication link.
Preferably the method also including providing a synthesized voice output generally simultaneously with the visually sensible output indication to at least one of the aircraft controller and the pilot of information communicated along the communication link in response to a digital information output from the speech recognizer.
Preferably the communication link carries speech.
Additionally or alternatively the communication link carries information derived from speech.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention also including a memory for storing at least part of the information communicated along the communication link. Preferably the method also including linking the communication link to external aviation-related systems for at least one of monitoring and control of the operation thereof.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the communication link includes a multiple channel link and the display is capable of displaying information received simultaneously along multiple channels.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention also including utilizing at least part of the information communicated along the communication link for post-flight analysis.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention also including utilizing at least part of the information communicated along the communication link for post-event analysis.